Welcome to Spark Day 5! Every Friday, I reflect on the week that has just passed by doing a little senses exercise. This practice is a gentle, easy way to tune into how we are doing, what we are experiencing, and what we are grateful for while more acutely tuning into our senses. It’s a whole heart exercise with plenty of bodily input, if you will. Because this practice has been so good for me, I want to encourage you to do it, too. Building some gentle reflection into our weeks is a nice way to stay grounded while maintaining some big picture perspective. So please join me in this week’s Friday Reflections (with each sense as your inspiration, consider how experiencing it impacted your week).

hearing :: amazing women share their inspiring stories and ideas during visionSPARK. And laughter– so much laughter– as well as heart-felt tears. What a gift it was to be with such authentic, honest women! Also: marbles clamoring down Happy’s new, very popular marble run.

smelling :: candles of every scent. I love candles in the winter and we have an Eggnog Latte and a delicious lime one alternating in our kitchen and dining room.

seeing :: beautiful horses basking in the cold weather, funny guinea fowl frenetically making their way across the farm, light bulb moments, nods of recognition, and kindred spirits, a cute little boy dancing about receiving (and then wearing) new pajamas, and an earnest, hungry dog staring me down for more treats.

feeling :: hugs of every ilk as Happy and I played one of our favorite games until exhaustion over and over again this week. Is this too much love? Wait, wait, is this too much love? Is THIS too much love? With every question being accompanied by hugs of varied strengths. Never gets old and the perfect antidote to a cranky pants moment (for both of us).

wishing/hoping :: for a lovely new semester with my newest students (we start today!)

What about you? What were your sensational experiences this week? Please share!